At the time, people with psychological problems were not understood - not considered real people with feelings

Possessed? Evil?

"a filthy burden...the maniac"

Treated as disgusting yet in comparison she was once...

"a fine woman...tall, dark and majestic... splendidly dressed"

Bronte commenting on the little sympathy felt for those with mental illnesses. Once human, then just a 'thing'

'The clothed hyena rose up and stood tall on its hind feet'

'hyena' - scavenger, violent

Dangerous, viscious

Dehumanised. A wild animal, not tamable, uncontrollable

'she showed virile force'

Bertha is the physical equivalent of men whereas Jane is the intellectual

Sexual connotations?

"Bertha Antoinette Mason"

Never really considered Rochester's wife. Object to animal

Rochester's disbelief and denial of the situation?

'This wound was not done with a knife: there have been teeth here!'

Gothic, animalistic, vampire, viscious

Hungry for human interaction?

"She sucked the blood: she said she'd drain my heart"

If Bertha isn't happy, nobody can be

Bertha's heartless too?

"Vampyre"

The Mad Woman in the Attic - Gilbert and Gubar

‘Bertha
is still another – indeed the most threatening – avatar of Jane’ - Gilbert and Gubar

"Bertha
not only acts for Jane, she also acts like Jane’ Bertha is found running
“forwards and backwards” in the attic on all fours which links to Jane relieving
mental pain by pacing “forwards and backwards" - Gilbert and Gubar